I need your input

I've had a woman contact me as her parents are both abusive and she's financially trapped, living in their home because of the lack of a job. She has a ton of degrees and is over-qualified for most of the jobs she's applied for.

It gets really complicated and to put the entire story here would take two days. I suggested she start small and build up. Grocery clerk, retail, etc. but she says these jobs wouldn't give her living money and she'd still be trapped.

Do any of you have suggestions? I think she's a mental basket case from all the abuse too.

Does she have children, Dianne?

If so, maybe she can utilize Housing Assistance, food stamps, etc. based on her income. If not, how about a room mate to help with expenses on a low income until she can survive on her own. Anything is better than living under those circumstances. Even a small one room apt. I once lived in a studio above a restaurant, really cheap and ugly. But after I got finished with it, it was a showcase and I loved it!!!

Search

Once after a year of fighting cancer and a year of treatment I was finally coming out financially when I had a car accident that put me in a two week coma, surgery several times, then flat on my back off and on for a year. I had no car, no health insurance, no child support, and two kids. I had a house and enough property to disqualify me for welfare.

Someone told me that you sometimes have to hit bottom in order to bounce off and come to the surface.

I was broke and had almost no self respect left. I had absolutely nothing to lose so I started a search firm from my bed. I just started making phone calls to everyone in the world. I got referrals and information and wrote it all down. Within a year I had found enough people to pay the huge hospital bills and somehow came out with around a hundred thousand dollars.

I bought a commerical building and rented space to other businesses to make the payments and pay for my own space. I gave free rent to a guy to help remodel. Somehow from there, with the help of God, I finished another degree and built a lucrative military contracting firm.

I would never have done that if I had not reached bottom. Maybe some sort of sales or her own business would work for your friend. If she has no money, her product would have to be a service, but with her education maybe there is something she knows that she could sell.

Just an idea.

smile

Good Grief Smile!!!

You must be one talented woman! And what a survivor! What's a search firm? And what kind of military contracting firm? That would be the very last thing I would think of.....IN fact, I'm sure I would NEVER think of it!

Search

Gads, you're industrious!

No children so she was not able to get assistance. She did say that a life changing experience caused her to not be able to work for a while and that's why she ended up at her parent's home, who are extremely verbally and emotionally abusive.

I'm trying to sort out the story by many emails. She's 37. I suggested temp work.

My goodness Smile...your story is beyond incredible...I really really admire everything you have done for yourself and your children...what an amazing, inspirational woman you are!!!

Smilinize, how incredible!!

Dianne, I hope she accepts temp work.
Any start is a good start if you ask me.

Dianne, I forgot the point I originally started out to make. Less than a year before the cancer and the accident, I left an abusive marriage. I thought the fact that I survived it all might somehow help your friend to know she will too.

A search firm is a company that identifies people to fill high level positions for a fee. I found doctors and healthcare executives then I went into contracting with military bases throughout the world for specialty services. I established clinics on the bases then they were run by physicians, nurses, and techs who worked for me. It was a lot of work, but the profit was great.

The search firm thing is something anyone could do. I learned it working for the Federal govt.

smile

Wow Smile. You're amazing.

I haven't heard back from her yet.

Dianne, I am praying for your friend today.

Sorry I got off on my own whiney story. I just thought it might help your friend to know that people do survive bad things and like my friend told me, if she is at the bottom, the only way is up. She may have to get creative, but with effort and prayer, she can thrive.

smile

Whiney Story? I think you should write a book about it.

That's great that she reached out to you, Dianne.
I agree with the others here that starting small is a good first step. Sometimes it just takes baby steps at first, or one step at a time.
You are so great to care as much as you do!
Ari

It's amazing how women, overcome so many of the curve balls... life sometimes throws.
Surviving...helping others by sharing the experience and moving forward.
It's our purpose...pure love...straight from the heart love.